VIDEO: Bizarre Hitler Doncaster bus rant clip goes viral

Darren Burke, Communities reporter

A bizarre video of Hitler ranting about the state of bus services in Doncaster has gone viral on social media.

The four-minute YouTube clip features the Nazi dictator ranting about the state of services in the town, the withdrawal of routes and new tickets being introduced.

The clip, uploaded to the video-sharing site yesterday by user Robert James, is entitled "Hitler and the Doncaster Bus Partnership" and comes after the biggest shake-up of bus services in Doncaster for ten years was announced earlier this week.

In the spoof clip, Hitler launches a furious outburst after finding out about the cancellation of the X8 service with subtitles reading: "All I wanted was some timetable changes, that was it. No one will know where the bus is going."

The clip is the latest in a series of infamous "Hitler parodies" based on a scene from 2004 German language film Downfall where the Nazi dictator is appeared to be shown reacting to modern-day events.

One scene in the film, in which Hitler, played by actor Bruno Ganz, launches into a furious tirade upon finally realizing that the war is lost, has become a staple of internet videos.

In the videos, the original German audio is retained, but new subtitles are added so that Hitler and his subordinates seem to be reacting instead to some setback in present-day politics, sports, popular culture, or everyday life.

In the bus clip, Hitler is seen ranting against the introduction of new tickets and complaining that Doncaster buses aren't as good as those elsewhere in South Yorkshire.

The video appears to be in response to the newly-formed voluntary Doncaster Bus Partnership, which includes First buses, Stagecoach buses, South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive and Doncaster Council and which is rolling out a number of other changes across the borough’s bus network, including changes to timetables, routes and tickets. All the changes will be effective from Sunday May 15.

A new ‘DonConnect’ ticket is also being introduced - a day, week, or monthly pass which will allow passengers to travel on any Doncaster bus with any operator.

The Doncaster Bus Partnership, which has been a year in the planning, follows on from the formation of the Sheffield Bus Partnership in 2012, and the Rotherham Bus Partnership in 2014.

The parodies, as well as the film itself, have gained a cult following, spawning a community of YouTube users who call themselves "Untergangers" devoted to the practice of making Downfall-related videos. Thousands exist, including Hitler ranting about Donald Trump, the death of Michael Jackson and Leicester City winning the Premier League.